Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty: Please say long live His Majesty

Chapter 568: A Fatal Choice, the Truth Behind Xiao Yu’s Death (Part )
In the Liangyi Hall, Li Chengqian sat calmly on the imperial couch, flipping through the memorial in his hand without saying a word.

After a long time, he slowly raised his eyes.

Looking at Yang Zhengdao, who stood in a white linen mourning robe with his hands folded, Li Chengqian finally spoke calmly, "I summoned you today because the Ministry of Rites has already drafted a posthumous title for Empress Xiao: Min!"

When the emperor spoke, Yang Zhengdao, who had been standing in the hall, couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

He had been standing here for a quarter of an hour, and the emperor had been silent. This made him gradually become nervous from being calm at the beginning, and later, he felt even more uneasy.

Concentrating his mind, Yang Zhengdao lowered his head slightly and muttered silently in his heart: "Mercy!"

The Ministry of Rites gave his grandmother, Empress Xiao, the posthumous title of Min.

If the word "min" is used to describe a male king.

This is a bad posthumous title.

When the country encounters difficulties, it is called compassion; when helping the country encounter difficulties, it is called compassion.

To cause the people to be injured is called "min"; to see disaster and chaos about to happen is called "min"

But when it comes to women, it often means that they are in troubled times, try their best, but are still unable to turn the situation around.

This is a commendatory posthumous title.

Of course, to be more precise, it can be both derogatory and complimentary.

This is especially true of his grandfather, Yang Guang, whose posthumous title was Yang Dui.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Yang Zhengdao bowed with a complicated expression and accepted it.

Li Chengqian nodded and asked, "The Ministry of Rites has another matter for me to ask you. Do you intend to send Empress Xiao to Yangzhou to be buried alongside Emperor Yang, or do you wish to keep her in Chang'an so that we can offer our respects to her at any time? If the latter, I can select a plot of land near Zhuangling for her burial."

Zhuangling is the tomb of Emperor Gong of Sui Dynasty, Yang You.

After Yang You's death, he was buried near Xianyang by the Tang Dynasty.

It was naturally impossible for Empress Xiao to be buried in Zhuangling, but Li Chengqian had the decision to choose a piece of land near Zhuangling as her burial place.

Of course, Empress Xiao could also choose to be sent to Yangzhou to be buried together with Emperor Yang of Sui.

……

Yang Zhengdao lowered his head and his breathing became inexplicably heavy.

Logically speaking, for this kind of thing, he only needs to do it after the emperor issues an edict, and there is no need to ask for his opinion.

But now, the emperor came to ask for his opinion.

Is it because of the Xiao family?
Yang Zhengdao raised his head and bowed carefully, "May I ask, Your Majesty, if my grandmother can be buried in the Xiao family cemetery?"

"I can't make the decision on this. Even if I agree, there's nothing I can do if the Xiao family disagrees." Li Chengqian shook his head.

He couldn't force the Xiao family to do such a thing.

Yang Zhengdao also understood the meaning of Li Chengqian's words. The Xiao family would never agree to let Empress Xiao be buried in the Xiao family mausoleum.

Although Empress Xiao was the daughter of the Xiao family, she had already married someone else.

Especially since she was the former empress of Sui Dynasty.

It was fine to handle these things when Xiao Yu was around, but now the Xiao family doesn't dare to make the decision to bury Empress Xiao in the Xiao family cemetery.

And now, the only one who can decide all this based on etiquette and law is Yang Zhengdao.

Yang Zhengdao lowered his head with a serious look in his eyes.

According to common sense, his grandmother should be sent to Yangzhou and buried with his grandfather Yang Guang.

It is normal for a couple to be buried together.

But when the words were on the tip of his tongue, Yang Zhengdao took them back.

If it were normal, why would the emperor ask him?

And it's in this hall.

Yang Zhengdao suddenly felt a chill rising from the depths of his heart. He took a deep breath, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I wish to bury my grandmother in Xianyang so that I can offer sacrifices to her at any time."

Li Chengqian suddenly laughed.

He smiled with satisfaction and nodded, saying, "My dear minister, you are truly filial. I will follow your wishes and bury Empress Xiao Min in Xianyang. In addition, the piece of land you have chosen will be used as the ancestral land of your lineage, and a temple can be built in front of it for worship."

Yang Zhengdao was stunned, and it was a bit difficult, but he still bowed solemnly and said: "I accept your order."

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "My dear, after your mourning period is over, you will be transferred to the Imperial College as a doctor, concurrently serving as a scholar at the Hongwen Academy, and teaching full-time in the inner school!"

"Yes!" Yang Zhengdao looked up in surprise. Then, he completely understood, breathed a sigh of relief, and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Li Chengqian looked at Yang Zhengdao, tapping the imperial desk gently, and then asked, "My dear, you must have heard of Yuan Tiangang. How much do you know about him?"

Yang Zhengdao fell silent.

a long time.

After a long pause, Yang Zhengdao finally bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I have never met Yuan Tiangang. I only occasionally heard my grandmother mention him, with an unusually disdainful tone. However, he seemed closely connected to the Sui Dynasty, and his status was quite different. My grandmother also occasionally mentioned the Yuchi family, but I don't know anything else."

"I see." Li Chengqian pondered, then raised his head and said seriously, "When you enter the inner study, you must teach the princes well, be compassionate and loving to the people, and especially understand that the world is in great difficulty."

"Yes!" Yang Zhengdao bowed deeply to Li Chengqian who was standing on the steps, then bowed and said, "I will take my leave."

"Yes!" Li Chengqian nodded calmly, then watched Yang Zhengdao walk out of the hall with somewhat heavy but still relaxed steps. ...

"Your Majesty, at the end, he still felt unwilling to give in!" Changsun Wuji stood out from behind a curtain on the side.

Looking at Yang Zhengdao's back, Changsun Wuji's eyes showed a hint of coldness.

"It's much better now." Li Chengqian smiled and said, "The Sui Dynasty was destroyed because it neglected its national strength. If we trace the root cause, it was because Yang Guang was too easygoing from the beginning, with his eyes fixed on the position of Crown Prince. After achieving success, he indulged in pleasure, which ultimately led to the destruction of the country and the family."

"So, Your Majesty allowed him to enter the inner study so that he could serve as a lesson and let the Crown Prince and other princes understand the difficulties of the world." Changsun Wuji bowed seriously.

"Yes!" Li Chengqian nodded and said, "He's quite clever. When I asked him to choose, if he had insisted on sending Empress Xiao to Yangzhou to be buried with Emperor Yang, then I would have had no choice but to send him to be buried with Emperor Yang."

Changsun Wuji cupped his hands in agreement and said, "If he still lingers on the Former Sui Dynasty, then there's no need for him to stay in this world."

"I don't know if what I did was right or wrong." Li Chengqian sighed and said, "If he had sent Empress Xiao to Yangzhou to be buried with Yang Guang, it would certainly remind people that he is Yang Guang's grandson, but it would also make people realize that the Sui Dynasty had been destroyed for more than 30 years, and the Tang Dynasty had already passed down for three generations."

"The Former Sui Dynasty has been destroyed for many years, and the common people and aristocratic families don't really have much attachment to it. Not to mention that after the Second King and the Third King, the Former Sui Dynasty's legitimacy has disappeared." Zhangsun Wuji raised his hand and looked at Li Chengqian. "But Your Majesty, there is still the King of Wu. Isn't it because of the King of Wu that the Hongnong Yang family is still stirring up trouble?"

To put it simply, the Two Kings and Three Kes was a system in which the new dynasty rewarded the descendants of the previous dynasty in order to declare its legitimacy and declare itself the legitimate successor to the previous dynasty's legal system.

The previous dynasty’s mandate has ended, and the new dynasty will inherit it.

Command the four directions.

For example, in the first year of the Wude reign of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu conferred the title of Duke of Feng on Emperor Gong of the Sui Dynasty, Yang You, and allowed him to use the official calendar, chariots, flags, and clothing of the Sui Dynasty; at the same time, he conferred the title of Duke of Jie on a descendant of the Northern Zhou Dynasty's Yuwen clan, thus forming the "Two Queens".

During the Zhenguan period, the late Emperor Taizong appointed Yang Xingji as the adopted son of Yang You and conferred him the title of Duke of Feng, and conferred on Yuwen Chao the title of Duke of Jie. At the same time, he conferred on a descendant of the Northern Wei the title of Duke of Han, thus forming the Three Kes. All previous dynasties became a thing of the past.

Although Yang Zhengdao was the only surviving descendant of Yang Guang, Yang Xingji was the legal successor to the former Sui Dynasty.

Of course, things like legal legitimacy can be forcibly changed after ascending the throne.

The latter is also possible that Yang Xingji and his descendants are the real target of the Hongnong Yang family.

However, in the eyes of the subjects of the world, the former Sui Dynasty had already perished.

But Li Ke was Yang Guang's grandson after all, so many people in the former Sui Dynasty gathered their hearts around him and supported him in his fight for the throne, which was equivalent to the revival of the former Sui Dynasty in disguise.

However, during the Zhenguan period, Li Ke never really became a candidate for the crown prince.

But everything changed after the death of the previous emperor.

When Li Chengqian ascended the throne, Li Tai and Li Zhi were deposed, and Li Ke became the de facto eldest member of the royal family.

If we were to say who among the royal family members Li Chengqian is most wary of, it would undoubtedly be Li Ke.

Li Ke was named Ke. Although it meant that his mother, Concubine Yang, hoped that he would abide by his duties and that the late emperor hoped that he would not have any unreasonable desires, the word Ke, coupled with the fact that he was the bloodline of the Sui and Tang dynasties, inevitably made him a symbol of the Two Kings and Three Kes.

If Li Chengqian met with an accident, Li Ke, who was the oldest surviving member of the royal family of the previous emperor, would become the biggest threat to Li Xiang's succession to the throne.

Changsun Wuji was most vigilant about this.

"Prince Wu is a low-key and humble person. Furthermore, I have deliberately accelerated the rotation of officials among the princes in recent years. Therefore, it is difficult for him to cultivate his own confidants." Li Chengqian raised his head slightly and said, "Therefore, the only people he can use, or the only ones who can use him, are the Hongnong Yang family."

In the end, everything came back to the Hongnong Yang family.

……

"Yang Zhengdao buried Empress Xiao in Xianyang and then built a separate ancestral temple, declaring to the world that he was willing to live a life of wealth and leisure." Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "That's why I allowed him to teach in the inner academy. This way, Duke Song's last words will not be in vain."

Before Xiao Yu died, he said something that seemed to be spoken to Empress Xiao, but was actually spoken to Li Chengqian.

Empress Xiao was Yang Guang's queen. With her around, the Former Sui Dynasty would always have a banner.

Even if there were two kings and three Kes, it would be difficult to separate people's hearts.

Therefore, as long as Empress Xiao is around, Li Chengqian will always be suspicious of Yang Zhengdao.

The same goes for Changsun Wuji.

Especially when they saw that the Hongnong Yang family began to stir, anyone who might become their tool would become a target of their vigilance.

So, Empress Xiao died.

Yang Zhengdao made the most correct choice at the last moment.

Changsun Wuji sighed softly, wanting to say a lot of things, but he couldn't get them out.

From the very beginning, the emperor was the one who planned this matter.

He didn't even do much, just took Xiao's daughter into the harem and made the wedding ceremony grand.

Such a grand event cost the life of 75-year-old Xiao Yu.

Due to overwork and excessive drinking, he could no longer bear it after only three days.

Once Xiao Yu died, Empress Xiao would have no chance of survival.

With the death of Empress Xiao, the last flag Yang Guang left in the world fell.

Changsun Wuji was sure that with the death of Empress Xiao and Yang Zhengdao's establishment of his own ancestral temple, the people who must be most angry must be Yang Sina and his people.

I don't know how much stuff they smashed in the house.

"I will continue to keep an eye on the Yang family." Changsun Wuji restrained his expression and bowed solemnly.

The Yang family's ambition is their original sin. If they reveal their flaws and are caught in the future, Changsun Wuji will not mind and will personally lead his troops to slaughter the Yang family.

(End of this chapter)